2016 New York and New Jersey bombings: Difference between revisions
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| susperp = Ahmad Khan |
| susperp = Ahmad Khan Rahimi |
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| weapons = [[Pressure cooker bomb]]s, [[pipe bomb]]s, [[9mm]] [[Glock pistol]] |
| weapons = [[Pressure cooker bomb]]s, [[pipe bomb]]s, [[9mm]] [[Glock pistol]] |
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On September 17, at about 9:30 a.m., a [[pipe bomb]] exploded in a trash can along the route of a [[United States Marine Corps]] charity run in Seaside Park. No one was injured. Later that day, at about 8:30 p.m., a [[Improvised explosive device|homemade]] [[pressure cooker bomb]] exploded on [[23rd Street (Manhattan)|West 23rd Street]] in the [[Chelsea, Manhattan|Chelsea]] neighborhood of Manhattan. Thirty-one civilians were injured, 24 of whom were taken to the hospital. A second pressure cooker bomb, with wires and a mobile phone attached, was discovered by authorities on West 27th Street, four blocks away. Late on September 18, multiple bombs were discovered inside a suspicious package at the [[Elizabeth (NJT station)|Elizabeth train station]]. One of those bombs detonated early the next day during the police investigation, and no injuries were reported. |
On September 17, at about 9:30 a.m., a [[pipe bomb]] exploded in a trash can along the route of a [[United States Marine Corps]] charity run in Seaside Park. No one was injured. Later that day, at about 8:30 p.m., a [[Improvised explosive device|homemade]] [[pressure cooker bomb]] exploded on [[23rd Street (Manhattan)|West 23rd Street]] in the [[Chelsea, Manhattan|Chelsea]] neighborhood of Manhattan. Thirty-one civilians were injured, 24 of whom were taken to the hospital. A second pressure cooker bomb, with wires and a mobile phone attached, was discovered by authorities on West 27th Street, four blocks away. Late on September 18, multiple bombs were discovered inside a suspicious package at the [[Elizabeth (NJT station)|Elizabeth train station]]. One of those bombs detonated early the next day during the police investigation, and no injuries were reported. |
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On September 19, the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] (FBI) identified Ahmad Khan |
On September 19, the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] (FBI) identified Ahmad Khan Rahimi as a suspect in all of the incidents. He was captured hours later after a shootout in [[Linden, New Jersey]]. The shootout left Rahimi and three police officers injured. Rahimi was hospitalized and charged with crimes in both [[Superior Court of New Jersey|New Jersey state court]] (including [[attempted murder]] of two law enforcement officers) and [[United States federal court|federal court]] (including bombing and use of a [[destructive device]]). |
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According to authorities, |
According to authorities, Rahimi was not part of a [[terrorist cell]], but was motivated and inspired by the [[Jihadism|extremist Islamic ideology]] espoused by [[al-Qaeda]] founder [[Osama bin Laden]] and al-Qaeda chief propagandist [[Anwar al-Awlaki]]. |
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==Seaside Park bombing== |
==Seaside Park bombing== |
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The Elizabeth Police Department was the first authority to respond to the men's 9-1-1 call.<ref name="WABC-Backpack"/><ref name="CBS New York Backpack"/> The investigation was soon turned over to the [[New Jersey State Police]] and the FBI, which sent in two robots that confirmed the devices were pipe bombs. One of these bombs was accidentally detonated at around 12:40 a.m. as the robots sought to disarm the devices. One robot was "destroyed" by the blast, while the other robot's mechanical arm was broken.<ref name="SchweberBromwich"/><ref name=NJ.Sought/> Authorities were working to disable the other devices.<ref name="SchweberBromwich"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/latest-explosion-reported-scene-investigation-42187592|title=The Latest: Man Being Sought Lived in Apartment FBI Searched|publisher=ABC News|agency=Associated Press|date=September 19, 2016|accessdate=September 19, 2016}}</ref> Following the bomb's accidental explosion, the station was evacuated. The surrounding area was put on [[lockdown]], and service was suspended between the [[Newark Liberty International Airport station|Newark Airport]] and Elizabeth stations for the day. New Jersey-bound trains from New York were held at [[Pennsylvania Station (New York City)|Penn Station]].<ref name="WNBC"/><ref name="LiveblogABC">{{cite web|url=http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/latest-apparent-link-nyc-blast-overseas-terror-42173130|title=The Latest: Suspicious Device Checked at NJ Train Station|publisher=ABC News|agency=Associated Press|date=September 19, 2016|accessdate=September 19, 2016}}</ref> |
The Elizabeth Police Department was the first authority to respond to the men's 9-1-1 call.<ref name="WABC-Backpack"/><ref name="CBS New York Backpack"/> The investigation was soon turned over to the [[New Jersey State Police]] and the FBI, which sent in two robots that confirmed the devices were pipe bombs. One of these bombs was accidentally detonated at around 12:40 a.m. as the robots sought to disarm the devices. One robot was "destroyed" by the blast, while the other robot's mechanical arm was broken.<ref name="SchweberBromwich"/><ref name=NJ.Sought/> Authorities were working to disable the other devices.<ref name="SchweberBromwich"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/latest-explosion-reported-scene-investigation-42187592|title=The Latest: Man Being Sought Lived in Apartment FBI Searched|publisher=ABC News|agency=Associated Press|date=September 19, 2016|accessdate=September 19, 2016}}</ref> Following the bomb's accidental explosion, the station was evacuated. The surrounding area was put on [[lockdown]], and service was suspended between the [[Newark Liberty International Airport station|Newark Airport]] and Elizabeth stations for the day. New Jersey-bound trains from New York were held at [[Pennsylvania Station (New York City)|Penn Station]].<ref name="WNBC"/><ref name="LiveblogABC">{{cite web|url=http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/latest-apparent-link-nyc-blast-overseas-terror-42173130|title=The Latest: Suspicious Device Checked at NJ Train Station|publisher=ABC News|agency=Associated Press|date=September 19, 2016|accessdate=September 19, 2016}}</ref> |
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Elizabeth Mayor [[J. Christian Bollwage]] said that it was unclear whether the train station was a specific target, or whether the bombs were dumped by someone looking to quickly get rid of them.<ref name="SchweberBromwich"/> The Elizabeth device was "similar in appearance" to the Seaside Park device.<ref name=NBC.Questioned/> Police later theorized that the bomber, Ahmad Khan |
Elizabeth Mayor [[J. Christian Bollwage]] said that it was unclear whether the train station was a specific target, or whether the bombs were dumped by someone looking to quickly get rid of them.<ref name="SchweberBromwich"/> The Elizabeth device was "similar in appearance" to the Seaside Park device.<ref name=NBC.Questioned/> Police later theorized that the bomber, Ahmad Khan Rahimi, had thrown away the bombs in Elizabeth in an effort to hide the evidence because these bombs lacked detonators.<ref name="Weiss Rizzi Kapp Gardiner 2016"/> |
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==Investigation== |
==Investigation== |
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Both of the Manhattan bombs—the one that exploded and the second that was disabled—were of the same design, using pressure cookers filled with bearings or metal BBs that were rigged with [[Flip (form)|flip]] [[mobile phone|phone]]s and [[Christmas lights]] that set off a small charge of [[hexamethylene triperoxide diamine]] (HMTD), which served as a [[detonator]] for a larger charge of a [[secondary explosive]] similar to [[Tannerite]].<ref name="HuntforRahami" /><ref>{{cite news|last1=Greenemeier|first1=Larry|title=Chemicals Could Be a Key in Investigating the New York and New Jersey Bombings|url=http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/chemicals-could-be-a-key-in-investigating-the-new-york-and-new-jersey-bombings/|accessdate=September 28, 2016|publisher=Scientific American|date=September 19, 2016}}</ref> |
Both of the Manhattan bombs—the one that exploded and the second that was disabled—were of the same design, using pressure cookers filled with bearings or metal BBs that were rigged with [[Flip (form)|flip]] [[mobile phone|phone]]s and [[Christmas lights]] that set off a small charge of [[hexamethylene triperoxide diamine]] (HMTD), which served as a [[detonator]] for a larger charge of a [[secondary explosive]] similar to [[Tannerite]].<ref name="HuntforRahami" /><ref>{{cite news|last1=Greenemeier|first1=Larry|title=Chemicals Could Be a Key in Investigating the New York and New Jersey Bombings|url=http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/chemicals-could-be-a-key-in-investigating-the-new-york-and-new-jersey-bombings/|accessdate=September 28, 2016|publisher=Scientific American|date=September 19, 2016}}</ref> |
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The FBI examined fingerprints from the undetonated West 27th Street pressure cooker bomb and its attached mobile phone.<ref name="CapturedCNN" /> [[DNA evidence]] was also recovered.<ref name="FBI"/> On September 19, the FBI traced the prints, as well as some pictures on the mobile phone, to Ahmad Khan |
The FBI examined fingerprints from the undetonated West 27th Street pressure cooker bomb and its attached mobile phone.<ref name="CapturedCNN" /> [[DNA evidence]] was also recovered.<ref name="FBI"/> On September 19, the FBI traced the prints, as well as some pictures on the mobile phone, to Ahmad Khan Rahimi (see [[#Suspect|below]]).<ref name="Weiss Rizzi Kapp Gardiner 2016" /><ref name="HuntforRahami" /> |
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Though the explosives in all four incidents were of three different designs, the [[United States Department of Homeland Security|Department of Homeland Security]] found that the bomb-maker followed guidelines featured in ''[[Inspire (magazine)|Inspire]]'', an online magazine published by [[al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ahmad-rahami-al-qaeda-magazine-bomb-making-article-1.2805807|title=Ahmad Rahami may have followed bomb-making tips from Al Qaeda magazine, memo shows|work=The New York Daily News|date=September 25, 2016|accessdate=September 28, 2016|first=Jason|last=Silverstein}}</ref> Investigators also said they believed the bomb-maker had cased the Chelsea neighborhood before the bombing there, and that he may have had an accomplice as he would have had to otherwise cover a lot of ground between the bombing sites in a relatively short amount of time. They were talking to witnesses who claimed to have seen |
Though the explosives in all four incidents were of three different designs, the [[United States Department of Homeland Security|Department of Homeland Security]] found that the bomb-maker followed guidelines featured in ''[[Inspire (magazine)|Inspire]]'', an online magazine published by [[al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ahmad-rahami-al-qaeda-magazine-bomb-making-article-1.2805807|title=Ahmad Rahami may have followed bomb-making tips from Al Qaeda magazine, memo shows|work=The New York Daily News|date=September 25, 2016|accessdate=September 28, 2016|first=Jason|last=Silverstein}}</ref> Investigators also said they believed the bomb-maker had cased the Chelsea neighborhood before the bombing there, and that he may have had an accomplice as he would have had to otherwise cover a lot of ground between the bombing sites in a relatively short amount of time. They were talking to witnesses who claimed to have seen Rahimi in the Chelsea area before the explosion.<ref name=CBS.Views/><ref name=CBS.Cased>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-york-city-bombing-suspect-cased-chelsea-explosion/|title=New York City bombing suspect may have cased Chelsea before blast|work=CBS News|date=September 22, 2016|accessdate=September 30, 2016}}</ref> Several bomb ingredients were purchased by Rahimi on [[eBay]] between June 20 and August 10.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/feds-ahmad-khan-rahami-bought-bomb-ingredients-on-ebay/|title=Feds: Ahmad Khan Rahami bought bomb ingredients on eBay|work=CBS News|date=September 20, 2016|accessdate=September 30, 2016}}</ref> |
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On September 30, two weeks after |
On September 30, two weeks after Rahimi's arrest (see [[#Manhunt, shootout, and arrest|below]]), the FBI raided his home a second time for "additional evidence".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://abc7ny.com/news/fbi-raids-home-of-alleged-bombing-suspect-ahmad-rahami/1534323/|title=FBI raids home of alleged bombing suspect Ahmad Khan Rahami|work=WABC-TV|date=September 30, 2016|accessdate=September 30, 2016|first=Toni|last=Yates}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nj.com/union/index.ssf/2016/09/fbi_raids_bomb_suspects_home_again.html|title=FBI back at home of bombing suspect Ahmad Khan Rahami (VIDEO)|work=NJ.com|date=September 30, 2016|accessdate=September 30, 2016|first=Jessica|last=Remo}}</ref> |
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===Search for suspects=== |
===Search for suspects=== |
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Investigators discovered surveillance video that showed a suspect planting a bomb, later identified as |
Investigators discovered surveillance video that showed a suspect planting a bomb, later identified as Rahimi, on West 23rd Street in Manhattan, then walking to West 27th Street dragging a duffel bag. The subject left the bag at West 27th Street. Later, two individuals took the pressure cooker bomb out of the bag and left the scene.<ref name=":0" /><ref name="Parascandola Durkin Otis 2016" /> Authorities determined that the two men who had taken the bomb out of the bag were, most likely, scavengers who had only wanted the duffel bag and did not know what they had been handling; in the process, they might have deactivated the bomb in the bag. The NYPD and FBI wished to talk with these men, who were considered possible witnesses but were not suspected in helping plant the bomb.<ref name="Weiss Rizzi Kapp Gardiner 2016" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://nypost.com/2016/09/19/two-men-took-second-bomb-out-of-suitcase-in-chelsea/|title=Two scavengers took second bomb out of suitcase in Chelsea|last=Celona|first=Larry|last2=Musumeci|first2=Natalie|date=September 19, 2016|website=[[New York Post]]|accessdate=September 19, 2016}}</ref> Investigators later believed the men were possible Egyptian tourists who have since returned to their home country.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20160927/chelsea/who-deactivated-west-27th-street-bomb-two-men-suitcase-ahmad-khan-rahami|title=Two Men Who Took Chelsea Bomb Suitcase May Have Left Country, Sources Say|work=DNAInfo|date=September 27, 2016|accessdate=September 28, 2016|first=Murray|last=Weiss}}</ref><ref name=ChicTrib.ID>{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-manhattan-bombing-20160928-story.html|title=Men who took bag holding bomb that failed to detonate in Manhattan ID'd as tourists|publisher=Chicago Tribune|agency=Associated Press|date=September 28, 2016|accessdate=September 30, 2016}}</ref> U.S. investigators notified Egyptian authorities that they wanted to question the men.<ref name=ChicTrib.ID/> |
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Late on September 18, the day after the Manhattan explosion, the FBI announced that five men, who were later found to be relatives of |
Late on September 18, the day after the Manhattan explosion, the FBI announced that five men, who were later found to be relatives of Rahimi, had been detained in connection with the investigation. The men were detained at about 8:45 p.m. at a traffic stop, which was being conducted by the FBI and NYPD on the [[Belt Parkway]] near the [[Verrazano–Narrows Bridge]].<ref name="NBC.Questioned" /><ref name="HuntforRahami">{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/20/nyregion/nyc-nj-explosions-ahmad-khan-rahami.html|title=Ahmad Khan Rahami Is Arrested in Manhattan and New Jersey Bombings|date=September 18, 2016|last2=Rashbaum|first2=William K.|newspaper=The New York Times|last3=Baker|first3=Al|last4=Goldman|first4=Adam|first1=Marc|last1=Santora|accessdate=September 19, 2016}}</ref><ref name="Yahoo.Connection">{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/gma/york-governor-says-no-apparent-between-explosion-overseas-151306033--abc-news-topstories.html|title=Sources: Up to 5 People in FBI Custody in Connection With NY Bombing, After Traffic Stop|last2=Crudele|first2=Mark|date=September 18, 2016|last3=Levine|first3=Mike|last4=Caplan|first4=David|work=Yahoo! GMA|accessdate=September 18, 2016|first1=Aaron|last1=Katersky}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://nypost.com/2016/09/18/fbi-detains-5-in-connection-to-chelsea-bombing/|title=FBI detains 5 in connection to Chelsea bombing|date=September 18, 2016|publisher=The New York Post|last1=Celona|first1=Larry|accessdate=September 18, 2016}}</ref><ref name="Sandoval Silverstein 2016" /> |
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===Motive=== |
===Motive=== |
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A note found on the pressure cooker bomb left on West 27th Street referred to [[Anwar al-Awlaki]] (the Muslim cleric who became a senior member of [[al-Qaeda]] and was then killed by a U.S. drone strike), the [[Boston Marathon bombing]], and the [[2009 Fort Hood shooting]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kwqc.com/2016/09/20/note-on-pressure-cooker-found-in-manhattan-mentioned-boston-bombing-sources-say/|title=Note on Pressure Cooker Found in Manhattan Mentioned Boston Bombing, Sources Say|first=Pete|last=Williams|date=September 20, 2016|publisher=KWQC-TV|accessdate=September 20, 2016}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://kutv.com/news/nation-world/investigators-suspect-wrote-about-boston-bombers-anwar-al-awlaki|title=Investigators: Suspect wrote about Boston bombers, Anwar al-Awlaki|publisher=Sinclair Broadcast Group|accessdate=September 20, 2016|date=September 20, 2016|website=KUTV}}</ref><ref name="FBI"/> |
A note found on the pressure cooker bomb left on West 27th Street referred to [[Anwar al-Awlaki]] (the Muslim cleric who became a senior member of [[al-Qaeda]] and was then killed by a U.S. drone strike), the [[Boston Marathon bombing]], and the [[2009 Fort Hood shooting]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kwqc.com/2016/09/20/note-on-pressure-cooker-found-in-manhattan-mentioned-boston-bombing-sources-say/|title=Note on Pressure Cooker Found in Manhattan Mentioned Boston Bombing, Sources Say|first=Pete|last=Williams|date=September 20, 2016|publisher=KWQC-TV|accessdate=September 20, 2016}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://kutv.com/news/nation-world/investigators-suspect-wrote-about-boston-bombers-anwar-al-awlaki|title=Investigators: Suspect wrote about Boston bombers, Anwar al-Awlaki|publisher=Sinclair Broadcast Group|accessdate=September 20, 2016|date=September 20, 2016|website=KUTV}}</ref><ref name="FBI"/> |
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On September 20, investigators said that when |
On September 20, investigators said that when Rahimi was arrested, he had a notebook in his possession in which he had written about Anwar al-Awlaki, the Boston Marathon bombers [[Tamerlan Tsarnaev|Tamerlan]] and [[Dzhokhar Tsarnaev]], and [[Abu Mohammad al-Adnani]], the spokesperson and a senior leader of ISIL.<ref name="InspiredBinLaden"/><ref name="FBI"/><ref name=CBS.Cased/> The notebook had bullet holes and blood stains. In the notebook, Rahimi wrote of "killing the [[Kafir|kuffar]]," an Arabic term for unbelievers.<ref name="InspiredBinLaden" /> |
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According to authorities, |
According to authorities, Rahimi was not part of a [[terrorist cell]], but was motivated and inspired by the [[Jihadism|extremist Islamic ideology]] espoused by [[al-Qaeda]] founder [[Osama bin Laden]] and al-Qaeda chief propagandist [[Anwar al-Awlaki]].<ref name="InspiredBinLaden"/> The criminal complaint filed against Rahimi states that Rahimi had a YouTube account in which he listed two jihadist propaganda videos as "favorites" alongside other, unrelated materials.<ref>{{cite web|first=Christopher|last=Mele|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/21/nyregion/ahmad-khan-rahamis-youtube-account-included-jihad-videos-complaint-says.html|title=Ahmad Khan Rahami's YouTube Account Listed Jihad Videos, Complaint Says|work=The New York Times|date=September 20, 2016|accessdate=September 20, 2016}}</ref> |
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=={{Anchor|Ahmad Khan |
=={{Anchor|Ahmad Khan Rahimi}}Suspect== |
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{{Infobox person |
{{Infobox person |
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| name = Ahmad Khan |
| name = Ahmad Khan Rahimi |
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| image = Suspect Ahmad Khan Rahami surveillance image.jpg |
| image = Suspect Ahmad Khan Rahami surveillance image.jpg |
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| image_upright = 250px |
| image_upright = 250px |
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| caption = Surveillance image of Ahmad Khan |
| caption = Surveillance image of Ahmad Khan Rahimi, who was arrested following a manhunt |
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| native_name = احمد خان رحامی{{cn|date=September 2016}} |
| native_name = احمد خان رحامی{{cn|date=September 2016}} |
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| native_name_lang = Dari دری |
| native_name_lang = Dari دری |
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===Background=== |
===Background=== |
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'''Ahmad Khan |
'''Ahmad Khan Rahimi''' (born January 23, 1988) — an [[Afghan American]]<ref name="Weiss Rizzi Kapp Gardiner 2016" /><ref name="HuntforRahami" /> whose surname was reported as Rahami, initially<ref name=RahimiInitialPleaNJ_CNN/><ref name=RahimiInitialPleaNJ_Reuters/> — came to the United States from Afghanistan in 2000,<ref name="ABCDetailsEmerge">{{cite web|first1=Brian|last1=Ross|first2=Rhonda|last2=Schwartz|first3=Mike|last3=Levine|first4=Stephanie|last4=Wash|first5=Michael Edison|last5=Hayden|first6=JJ|last6=Gallagher|first7=Emily|last7=Shapiro|url=http://abcnews.go.com/US/source-suspect-wanted-nyc-area-bombing/story?id=42190675|title=Details Emerge About NYC Bomb Suspect Ahmad Khan Rahami|work=ABC News|date=September 19, 2016|accessdate=September 19, 2016}}</ref> and was naturalized in 2011. His father, Mohammad Rahimi, came to the U.S. several years earlier seeking asylum.<ref name="WhoIsRahami" /> According to a neighbor, Rahimi's father, a [[Pashtuns|Pashtun]],<ref name=NYTimes.Journey/> had been part of the anti-Soviet [[Afghan mujahideen|mujahideen]] movement in Afghanistan, and was critical of the [[Taliban]].<ref name="KleinfieldFixture"/> The younger Rahimi may have as many as seven siblings.<ref name="HuntforRahami" /><ref name="ABCDetailsEmerge"/> Before settling into the U.S., the Rahimi family fled from the then war-torn Afghanistan to [[Pakistan]]. In the U.S., they lived in a number of [[New Jersey]] towns before settling in Elizabeth.<ref name=WSJ.Path/> |
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Rahimi graduated from [[Edison High School (New Jersey)|Edison High School]] in 2008.<ref name="ArkinSiemaszko">{{cite web | last1=Arkin | first1=William | last2=Johnson | first2=Alex | last3=Siemaszko | first3=Corky | last4=Connor | first4=Tracy | last5=Bailey | first5=Chelsea | last6=Bratu | first6=Becky | title=Ahmad Rahami: What We Know About N.Y., N.J. Bombings Suspect | website=NBC News | date=September 19, 2016 | url=http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ny-nj-bombings/what-we-know-about-bombing-suspect-ahmad-rahami-n650556 | accessdate=September 19, 2016}}</ref> From 2010 to 2012, he attended [[Middlesex County College]] in [[Edison, New Jersey]], majoring in [[criminal justice]] with alleged aspirations of a future in law enforcement. He dropped out.<ref name="WhoIsRahami" /><ref name="ArkinSiemaszko" /><ref name=CNN.Feud>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/21/us/ahmad-rahami-family-identity/|title=Ahmad Rahami's lifelong feud with family and identity|work=CNN|date=September 21, 2016|accessdate=September 30, 2016|first1=Scott|last1=Bronstein|first2=Drew|last2=Griffin}}</ref> |
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Rahimi's friends described him as a generous person who was never devoutly religious and would invite his friends to eat and conduct [[rap battles]] at his family's [[fried chicken]] restaurant—First American Fried Chicken in Elizabeth, {{convert|15|mi|km}} from New York City. To some, he was known as Mad, short for Ahmad. A classmate from Edison High described him as quiet, mild-mannered, well-dressed, and "not abrasive, [but] funny" whenever he spoke.<ref name=Yahoo.Recalls/> In recent years, though, he seemed to be a "completely different person" who was more stern than before and less easygoing.<ref name=WSJ.Path/><ref name="KleinfieldFixture">{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/20/nyregion/ahmad-khan-rahami-bombing-suspect.html|title=Ahmad Rahami: Fixture in Family's Business and, Lately, a 'Completely Different Person'|last=Kleinfield|first=N. R.|date=September 19, 2016|newspaper=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=September 19, 2016}}</ref><ref name=Yahoo.Recalls>{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/ahmad-khan-rahami-high-school-classmate-recalls-bomb-suspect-as-funny-calls-allegations-shocking-230921548.html|title=Ahmad Khan Rahami high school classmate recalls bomb suspect as ‘funny’; calls allegations ‘shocking’|work=Yahoo! News|date=September 19, 2016|accessdate=September 19, 2016|first=Caitlin|last=Dickson}}</ref> Also, in elementary school, Rahimi's teacher complained to his father for "act[ing] like a king in class", and Rahimi had broken a friend's nose while in junior high.<ref name=NYTimes.Journey>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/25/nyregion/journey-from-class-clown-to-suspect-in-chelsea-bombing.html|title=Journey From Class Clown to Suspect in Chelsea Bombing|work=The New York Times|date=September 24, 2016|accessdate=September 30, 2016|first1=Kim|last1=Barker|first2=Pir Zubair|last2=Shah|first3=Joseph|last3=Goldstein|first4=Jessica|last4=Silver-Greenberg}}</ref> |
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While at Edison High, he started a relationship with a classmate from the [[Dominican Republic]], which culminated in them having a daughter together in 2007, during |
While at Edison High, he started a relationship with a classmate from the [[Dominican Republic]], which culminated in them having a daughter together in 2007, during Rahimi's senior year. According to people close to the Rahimis, this upset Mohammad Rahimi, who refused to meet his granddaughter or the mother, and had been disapproving of the relationship due to expectations that his son would marry a cousin in Afghanistan. In March 2008, after returning from his first trip in Pakistan, he moved in with his girlfriend's family and got a job at a [[Kmart]] store. Rahimi's girlfriend later ended the relationship and sued him for child support. This reportedly depressed Rahimi, who subsequently returned to his family, and damaged his relationship with his father.<ref name=NYTimes.Journey/><ref name=LATimes.Melting>{{cite web|url=http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-new-york-rahami-snap-story.html|title=New York bombing suspect was at home in the American melting pot – until he met a girl named Maria|work=The Los Angeles Times|date=September 25, 2016|accessdate=September 30, 2016|first=Barbara|last=Demick}}</ref> |
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The |
The Rahimi family had a history of disputes with the City of Elizabeth over their restaurant's operating hours, claiming that the city was discriminating against them because of their ethnicity and because they were Muslim.<ref name="HuntforRahami" /><ref name="WhoIsRahami">{{cite web | last=Shoichet | first=Catherine E. | title=Ahmad Khan Rahami: What we know about the bombing suspect | website=CNN | date=September 19, 2016 | url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/19/us/ahmad-khan-rahami/index.html | accessdate=September 19, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ahmad-khan-rahami-family-claimed-anti-muslim-harassment-article-1.2798329|title=Ahmad Khan Rahami’s family claimed anti-Muslim harassment over their fast food restaurant |last1=Sandoval|first1=Edgar|last2=Silverstein|first2=Jason|date=September 19, 2016|website=The New York Daily News|access-date=September 19, 2016}}</ref> They filed a lawsuit against the city in 2011, in which they alleged harassment and religious discrimination by police and officials who would force them to close early. Mayor [[J. Christian Bollwage]] said the longstanding issues were caused by a series of complaints from neighbors, who reported noise and large crowds gathering at the restaurant late at night. The city later barred all takeout restaurants, including the Rahimis', from operating past 10:00 p.m. In 2009, two of Rahimi's brothers were arrested for attempting to record a conversation with police, according to court papers.<ref name=NYTimes.Journey/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2016/09/family_of_bombing_suspect_sued_elizabeth_for_discr.html|title=Bombing suspect Ahmad Khan Rahami's family sued Elizabeth for anti-Muslim harassment|work=NJ.com|date=September 19, 2016|accessdate=September 19, 2016|first=Stephen|last=Stirling}}</ref><ref name=Reuters.Clashed>{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/york-bombing-suspects-family-clashed-jersey-city-over-182517173.html|title=New York bomb suspect's family clashed with New Jersey city over restaurant|publisher=Yahoo! News|agency=Reuters|date=September 19, 2016|accessdate=September 19, 2016|first1=David|last1=Ingram|first2=Joseph|last2=Ax}}</ref><ref name=WashPost.Arrested>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2016/09/18/three-mysterious-incidents-in-new-york-new-jersey-and-minnesota-raise-fears-of-terrorism/|title=Suspect in N.Y., N.J. bombings arrested after shootout; FBI says 'no indication' of terror cell|work=The Washington Post|date=September 19, 2016|accessdate=September 19, 2016|first1=Renae|last1=Merle|first2=Matt|last2=Zapotosky|first3=Amy B.|last3=Wang|first4=Mark|last4=Berman|first5=Ellen|last5=Nakashima}}</ref> Rahimi lived above the restaurant with his family.<ref name="KleinfieldFixture"/> |
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In July 2016, |
In July 2016, Rahimi passed the required background check and legally purchased the [[Glock]] [[9 mm]] handgun he used in the shootout, from a [[Federal Firearms License|licensed dealer]] in [[Salem, Virginia]].<ref name="NakashimaBermanWan">{{cite web|first1=Ellen|last1=Nakashima|first2=Mark|last2=Berman|first3=William|last3=Wan|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2016/09/20/new-york-bombing-suspect-charged-with-using-weapons-of-mass-destruction/|title=Ahmad Rahami, suspected New York bomber, cited al-Qaeda and ISIS, officials say|work=The Washington Post|date=September 21, 2016|accessdate=September 21, 2016}}</ref> |
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====Legal troubles==== |
====Legal troubles==== |
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At one time, |
At one time, Rahimi was licensed to carry firearms. In August 2014, he, at that time living in [[Perth Amboy, New Jersey]], was charged with [[aggravated assault]] and [[unlawful possession of a weapon]] in [[Union County, New Jersey|Union County]]. The charges arose from allegations that Rahimi had stabbed his brother in the leg, after the victim and another brother attempted to stop Rahimi from assaulting their mother and sister "for no apparent reason". Rahimi was reported by two of his siblings the next day and spent three months in the Union County Jail, but was reported to have [[bail]]ed. A [[grand jury]] declined to make an [[indictment]], and the charges were dropped on September 22.<ref name="KleinfieldFixture" /><ref name="ArkinSiemaszko" /><ref name=NJ.Violence>{{cite web|url=http://www.nj.com/union/index.ssf/2016/09/hold_ahmad_rahami_attacked_sister_stabbed_brother.html|title=Details emerge of Ahmad Khan Rahami's alleged history of violence toward family|work=NJ.com|date=September 28, 2016|accessdate=September 28, 2016|first=Tom|last=Haydon}}</ref> |
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A "high-ranking law enforcement official with knowledge of the investigation" said |
A "high-ranking law enforcement official with knowledge of the investigation" said Rahimi had spent two additional days in jail, one in February 2012 for allegedly violating a [[restraining order]], and another in October 2008 for failure to pay traffic tickets.<ref name="KleinfieldFixture" /> |
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Rahimi's father Mohammad had tried to contact the FBI about his son around August 2014, but two months later, Rahimi was cleared by the FBI. One reason cited was that Mohammad had stated that he was merely angry over the August domestic incident when he reported his son, so he had denied his previous statement.<ref name="InspiredBinLaden"/><ref name=NJ.Violence/> In an interview with ''[[The New York Times]]'', Mohammad claimed that he had seen his son watching videos made by [[al-Qaeda]] and the Taliban and asked him to stop. However, the FBI later said Mohammad never informed them of what he had seen.<ref name=CBS.Views>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/ahmad-rahami-new-york-new-jersey-bombing-suspect-family-may-have-pro-jihadist-views/|title=NYC bombing suspect's family may have also had pro-jihadist views|work=CBS News|date=September 23, 2016|accessdate=September 30, 2016}}</ref><ref name=NYTimes.Journey/> |
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On September 20 — the day after his arrest — |
On September 20 — the day after his arrest — Rahimi's estranged ex-girlfriend, and the mother of his daughter, filed a petition in a New Jersey state court seeking full custody of the child, citing Rahimi as being a possible participant in "terrorist related activity" in New York City. She also filed to change her child's name, as well as to force the media not to contact her or her daughter. The petition for custody was granted the following day, though the request to change the daughter's name was denied, as was the request for media not to contact her, because "the court said it had no authority to grant the requests." Rahimi and the mother of his child had engaged in a long-running battle, as Rahimi owed her more than $3,000 in child support in 2015; she had previously gotten a restraining order against Rahimi.<ref name="ConnorCustody">{{cite web | last=Connor | first=Tracy | title=Bomb suspect Ahmad Rahami's ex-girlfriend awarded custody of their child | website=NBC News | date=September 20, 2016 | url=http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/bomb-suspect-ahmad-rahami-s-ex-files-custody-their-child-n651341 | accessdate=September 21, 2016}}</ref><ref name="Pillets">{{cite web | last=Pillets | first=Jeff | title=Edison woman awarded custody of child with accused bomber | website=NorthJersey.com | date=September 21, 2016 | url=http://www.northjersey.com/cm/2.1593/news/edison-woman-awarded-custody-of-child-with-accused-bomber-1.1663830 | accessdate=September 21, 2016}}</ref> |
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====Overseas travels and return to U.S.==== |
====Overseas travels and return to U.S.==== |
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Rahimi, reportedly, went back to Afghanistan several times (including for an extended period starting in 2012), and "showed signs of [[radicalization]]" afterwards.<ref name="CapturedCNN" /><ref name="HuntforRahami" /><ref name="KleinfieldFixture"/> The trips were reportedly arranged by Rahimi's pious father, who was concerned about his son being "too Americanized".<ref name=LATimes.Melting/> Rahimi and members of his family also made several trips to Pakistan, where they had Afghan relatives living as refugees.<ref name="ArkinSiemaszko" /><ref name=":1">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2016/sep/19/us-authorities-investigating-new-jersey-explosive-devices-live-updates|title=New York bombings: Ahmad Khan Rahami charged with attempted murder – as it happened|work=The Guardian|date=September 20, 2016|accessdate=September 20, 2016|first1=Haroon|last1=Siddique|first2=Martin|last2=Pengelly|first3=Alan|last3=Yuhas}}</ref> According to a family friend, Rahimi claimed that his father took away his passport while he was sleeping and left him alone in a foreign country.<ref name=CNN.Feud/><ref name=LATimes.Melting/> |
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Rahimi and a brother spent several weeks in the cities of [[Quetta]] and nearby [[Kuchlak]],<ref name=CNN.Feud/><ref name=TalibanSeminary>{{cite news|last1=Boone|first1=Jon|title=Ahmad Khan Rahami spent time at Pakistan seminary tied to Taliban|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/sep/23/ahmad-khan-rahami-pakistan-taliban-new-york-bombing-terrorism|accessdate=September 24, 2016|agency=The Guardian|date=September 23, 2016}}</ref> as well as [[Kandahar, Afghanistan]]. At Quetta, which is home to a large population of [[Afghans in Pakistan|Afghan immigrants]] and some Taliban members-in-exile,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/ahmad-khan-rahami-bombing-suspect-visits-to-pakistan-and-afghanistan-a7317546.html|title=Ahmad Khan Rahami: Bombing suspect's 'personality changed after visits to Pakistan and Afghanistan'|work=The Independent|date=September 20, 2016|accessdate=September 20, 2016|first=Andrew|last=Buncombe}}</ref> he was in an [[arranged marriage]] with a Pakistani woman<ref name=CBS.Cased/><ref name="WhoIsRahami"/> believed to be his cousin<ref name=CNN.Feud/><ref name=LATimes.Melting/> in July 2011,<ref name=TalibanSeminary/> and had a son with her in 2014.<ref name=NYTimes.Journey/><ref name=LATimes.Melting/> He also went under the wing of a local radical cleric, according to a close relative in Afghanistan.<ref name=NYTimes.Journey/> Following Rahimi's arrest, a spokesman for the Afghan Taliban said the group had no connection with him.<ref name=WSJ.Path/> |
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In Kuchlak, |
In Kuchlak, Rahimi attended an Afghan-run [[naqshbandi]] [[madrasa|religious seminary]] closely associated with the Taliban movement, where he took lectures in Islamic education for three weeks. Rahimi remained in Pakistan from April 2013 to March 2014, and traveled to Afghanistan during the period.<ref name=TalibanSeminary/> Following his near-year-long stay in the region, he underwent additional screening. On both occasions, he stated that he visited family members and was cleared by [[U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement|immigration and customs officials]].<ref name="FBI">{{cite news|title=The FBI looked into suspected bomber Ahmad Rahami in 2014 and found no ‘ties to terrorism’|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2016/09/19/bombing-suspect-charged-with-attempted-murder-of-a-law-enforcement-officer-with-further-charges-expected/|accessdate=29 September 2016|publisher=The Washington Post|date=September 20, 2016|first1=Ellen|last1=Nakashima|first2=Matt|last2=Zapotosky|first3=Mark|last3=Berman}}</ref><ref name="WhoIsRahami" /> The FBI did not find any signs of ties to terrorism during background checks.<ref name="FBI"/> |
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According to a childhood friend, |
According to a childhood friend, Rahimi grew a beard, started wearing more religious clothing following his trips to Afghanistan, and began praying in the back of his family's restaurant.<ref name=Yahoo.Recalls/><ref name=Reuters.Clashed/> When the mobile phone from West 27th Street was examined, investigators found that Rahimi had posted [[Jihadism|jihadist]] writings on various websites,<ref name="Weiss Rizzi Kapp Gardiner 2016" /> but it was "not known whether he had any links to an overseas terror organization, or whether he had been inspired by such organizations and their propaganda efforts, as others have been."<ref name="HuntforRahami" /> One intelligence source said Rahimi may have been self-radicalized.<ref name="FBI"/> |
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In June 2016, |
In June 2016, Rahimi's wife left the United States,<ref name=WifeIsBack4Questioning/><ref>{{cite news|title=New York bombing suspect's mother, brother detained in Afghanistan, father says|url=http://abc7ny.com/news/ahmad-rahamis-dad-speaks-out-in-abc-news-interview/1529986/|accessdate=September 30, 2016|agency=ABC News|date=September 28, 2016|first1=Brian|last1=Ross|first2=Megan|last2=Christie}}</ref> planning to return September 21.<ref>{{cite news|title=Investigators: Ahmad Rahami went to family home after Chelsea bombing|url=http://us.cnn.com/2016/09/22/politics/ahmad-rahami-timeline-details/|accessdate=September 23, 2016|agency=CNN|date=September 22, 2016|first1=Evan|last1=Perez|first2=Shimon|last2=Prokupecz}}</ref> On September 19, following her husband's arrest, she was stopped by the [[United Arab Emirates]] authorities. Two days later, she returned to New York and was questioned by the investigators.<ref name=WifeIsBack4Questioning>{{cite web|first=Jessica|last=Remo|url=http://www.nj.com/union/index.ssf/2016/09/ahmad_rahamis_wife_back_in_us_for_questioning.html|title=Ahmad Khan Rahami's wife is back in U.S. for questioning|work=[[NJ.com]]|date=September 22, 2016|accessdate=September 22, 2016}}</ref> The wife was cooperative and not accused of wrongdoing.<ref>{{cite web|first1=Catherine E.|last1=Shoichet|first2=Shimon|last2=Prokupecz|first3=Evan|last3=Perez|url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/20/us/ahmad-khan-rahami-wife/|title=Ahmad Khan Rahami's wife left US before bombings|work=CNN|date=September 20, 2016|accessdate=September 20, 2016}}</ref> |
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===Manhunt, shootout, and arrest=== |
===Manhunt, shootout, and arrest=== |
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[[File:SEEKING INFORMATION Ahmad Khan Rahami.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Notice published by the New York FBI, before arrest]] |
[[File:SEEKING INFORMATION Ahmad Khan Rahami.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Notice published by the New York FBI, before arrest]] |
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After stopping the five men on the Verrazano–Narrows Bridge, FBI agents and Elizabeth police searched |
After stopping the five men on the Verrazano–Narrows Bridge, FBI agents and Elizabeth police searched Rahimi's home in the early morning of September 18.<ref name="HuntforRahami" /><ref name="WhoIsRahami" /> The FBI asked for public assistance in detaining Rahimi for questioning in connection with the bombings in Manhattan and Seaside Park, as well as the attempted overnight bombing in Elizabeth.<ref name="HuntforRahami"/> |
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At 7:39 a.m. on September 19, the NYPD posted a "Wanted" poster of |
At 7:39 a.m. on September 19, the NYPD posted a "Wanted" poster of Rahimi on [[Twitter]].<ref name="Willingham 2016"/> Seventeen minutes later, the [[Wireless Emergency Alerts|Wireless Emergency Alert system]] was used to send an alert message to the mobile phones of millions of people in New York City, marking the first time New York City used the emergency alert to search for a named suspect.<ref name="Willingham 2016">{{cite web | last=Willingham | first=AJ | title=The amazingly quick capture of Ahmad Rahami | website=CNN | date=September 19, 2016 | url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/19/us/ahmad-rahami-capture-timeline-trnd/index.html | accessdate=September 19, 2016}}</ref><ref name="GoodmanMassAlert">{{cite web | last1=Goodman | first1=J. David | last2=Gelles | first2=David | title=Cellphone Alerts Used in New York to Search for Bombing Suspect | website=The New York Times | date=September 19, 2016 | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/20/nyregion/cellphone-alerts-used-in-search-of-manhattan-bombing-suspect.html | accessdate=September 19, 2016}}</ref> The alert message read, "WANTED: Ahmad Khan Rahami, 28-yr-old male. See media for pic. Call 9-1-1 if seen."<ref name="GoodmanMassAlert"/> Mayor de Blasio said, "Anyone who sees this individual or knows anything about him or his whereabouts needs to call it in right away."<ref name=":1" /><ref name="Willingham 2016"/><ref name=BBCRahamiIsTheSuspect>{{cite news|title=New York bombing suspect named as Ahmad Khan Rahami|url=http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-37409441|accessdate=September 19, 2016|publisher=BBC News|date=September 19, 2016}}</ref> |
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Authorities said that |
Authorities said that Rahimi might be armed and dangerous.<ref name="HuntforRahami"/><ref name=":1" /><ref name="Willingham 2016"/><ref name=BBCRahamiIsTheSuspect/> Law enforcement put him on some [[terror watchlist]]s to prevent him from leaving the United States.<ref name="CapturedCNN" /> |
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Concurrently, authorities started searching |
Concurrently, authorities started searching Rahimi's home in Elizabeth. The New Jersey State Police released two tweets, one at 9:30 a.m. and the other at 10:56 a.m., both stating that Rahimi was wanted in connection with the Seaside Park and Elizabeth bombs.<ref name="Willingham 2016"/> At around 10:30 a.m., a Linden bar owner was in a deli across the street from his bar, watching [[CNN]], when he saw a man sleeping in the bar's doorway. He recognized the man as Rahimi from news reports and called [[9-1-1]], saying "the guy looks a little suspicious and doesn't look good to me."<ref name="CapturedCNN" /><ref>{{cite news|last1=Richmond|first1=Kait|title=Sikh man who found bombing suspect: 'I did what every American would have done'|url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/20/us/harinder-bains-sikh-faith-trnd/index.html|accessdate=September 24, 2016|agency=CNN|date=September 20, 2016}}</ref> When Linden police arrived fifteen minutes later and awoke the man, the officers—who were subsequently identified as Angel Padilla, Peter Hammer, and Mark Kahana<ref name=LindenRespondingOfficersNames>{{cite news|title='We caught a terrorist' says proud new Linden chief|url=http://www.nj.com/union/index.ssf/2016/09/ahmad_khan_rahami_press_conference.html|accessdate=September 20, 2016|publisher=NJ.com|date=September 19, 2016|first1=Tom|last1=Haydon|first2=Jessica|last2=Remo}}</ref>—realized that the man was Rahimi.<ref name="HuntforRahami" /><ref name=CBS.Ordered/> |
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Officer Padilla ordered |
Officer Padilla ordered Rahimi to show his hands.<ref name=LindenRespondingOfficersNames/> Rahimi disregarded the order,<ref name=LindenRespondingOfficersNames/> retrieved a Glock 9 mm handgun,<ref name="NakashimaBermanWan"/> and shot Padilla in the abdomen, striking the [[bulletproof vest]].<ref name=LindenRespondingOfficersNames/> Padilla returned fire and Rahimi fled, with police pursuing him.<ref name="HuntforRahami"/> Rahimi fired back indiscriminately.<ref name=WABC.Charged/> He encountered Officer Hammer seated in his vehicle and fired into the windshield;<ref name="InspiredBinLaden" /> Hammer was grazed in the head and struck by flying glass, then he was shot in his hand. In addition, Officer Kahana experienced high blood pressure stemming from the incident.<ref name=LindenRespondingOfficersNames/> None of the officers' injuries or conditions were serious.<ref name="CapturedCNN"/><ref name=WABC.Charged/><ref name=":1" /> During the shootout, Rahimi was shot at least seven times, hit in an artery,<ref>{{cite news|last1=McCarthy|first1=Craig|title=Ahmad Khan Rahami shot at least 7 times in Linden arrest, authorities say|url=http://www.nj.com/union/index.ssf/2016/09/ahmad_khan_rahami_shot_7_times_in_linden_arrest_au.html|accessdate=September 24, 2016|agency=NJ.com|date=September 23, 2016}}</ref> and sustained a shoulder wound.<ref name="CapturedCNN" /><ref name="HuntforRahami"/><ref name=WABC.Charged/> He was finally arrested, shortly before noon, and transported to [[University Hospital (Newark, New Jersey)|University Hospital]] by ambulance.<ref name="CapturedCNN" /><ref name="HuntforRahami" /><ref name="Sandoval Silverstein 2016">{{cite web | last1=Sandoval | first1=Edgar | last2=Marcius | first2=Chelsia Rose | last3=Rayman | first3=Graham | title=Cops arrest New Jersey resident Ahmad Khan Rahami, wanted for NYC and N.J. bombings, after he shoots police officer | website=The New York Daily News | date=September 19, 2016 | url=http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/manhattan/man-wanted-nyc-nj-bombings-arrested-shooting-police-officer-article-1.2797960 | accessdate=September 19, 2016}}</ref><ref name=WABC.Charged>{{cite web|url=http://abc7ny.com/news/bombing-suspect-ahmad-khan-rahami-captured-in-linden-charged-with-attempted-murder/1517053/|title=Bombing Suspect Ahmad Khan Rahami Captured in Linden, Charged With 5 Counts Attempted Murder|work=WABC-TV|date=September 19, 2016|accessdate=September 19, 2016}}</ref> He underwent surgery and was in critical but stable condition.<ref name=CBS.Ordered>{{cite web|url=http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2016/09/19/chelsea-blast-suspect/|title=Suspect In Chelsea, Seaside Park Explosions Ordered Held; Investigators Say 'No Indication' Of Broader Cell|work=CBS Local|date=September 19, 2016|accessdate=September 19, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=New York bombing: Investigators seek 2 witnesses|url=http://us.cnn.com/2016/09/21/us/new-york-explosion-investigation/|accessdate=September 22, 2016|agency=CNN|date=September 21, 2016|first1=Evan|last1=Perez|first2=Shimon|last2=Prokupecz|first3=Amanda|last3=Wills|first4=Emanuella|last4=Grinberg}}</ref> Officer Padilla was released from the hospital that night, and Officer Hammer was released the next day.<ref>{{cite news|title=Officers hurt in bombing suspect's takedown released from hospital|url=http://pix11.com/2016/09/20/officers-hurt-in-bombing-suspects-takedown-released-from-hospital/|accessdate=September 30, 2016|agency=Associated Press|publisher=PIX11|date=September 20, 2016}}</ref> |
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Following |
Following Rahimi's arrest, investigators said there was "no indication" he was part of a broader terror cell,<ref name=CBS.Ordered/> nor that such a cell was "operating in the area."<ref name=WashPost.Arrested/> Rahimi was said to be initially uncooperative during interrogations.<ref name="CapturedCNN" /> |
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===State and federal prosecutions=== |
===State and federal prosecutions=== |
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On the night of September 19, |
On the night of September 19, Rahimi was charged in [[New Jersey Superior Court]] with five counts of [[attempted murder]] of a law enforcement officer in relation to the shootout in Linden. He was also charged with second-degree [[unlawful possession of a weapon]] and second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, both in relation to the handgun found in his possession.<ref name="FBI"/><ref name=WABC.Charged/><ref name=WashPost.Arrested/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theatlantic.com/news/archive/2016/09/explosion-chelsea-new-york/500498/|title=What We Know: The Explosions in New York and New Jersey|work=The Atlantic|date=September 19, 2016|accessdate=September 19, 2016|first1=Matt|last1=Ford|first2=Krishnadev|last2=Calamur|first3=Marina|last3=Koren|first4=Matt|last4=Vasilogambros}}</ref> |
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Under New Jersey state law, all criminal defendants are eligible for [[bail]], until the law is modified in 2017.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Ford|first1=James|title=Why the $5.2M bail set for Ahmad Khan Rahami doesn't mean he'll walk|url=http://pix11.com/2016/09/20/bail-for-nj-ny-bombing-suspect-ahmad-khan-rahami-set-at-5-2m/|accessdate=September 21, 2016|publisher=PIX11|date=September 20, 2016}}</ref> |
Under New Jersey state law, all criminal defendants are eligible for [[bail]], until the law is modified in 2017.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Ford|first1=James|title=Why the $5.2M bail set for Ahmad Khan Rahami doesn't mean he'll walk|url=http://pix11.com/2016/09/20/bail-for-nj-ny-bombing-suspect-ahmad-khan-rahami-set-at-5-2m/|accessdate=September 21, 2016|publisher=PIX11|date=September 20, 2016}}</ref> Rahimi's bail was set at $5.2 million.<ref name=Independent.Held>{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/new-york-explosion-bomb-blast-live-2016-manhattan-chelsea-bombing-latest-news-updating-a7314361.html|title=Ahmad Khan Rahami: Suspect held on five attempted murder charges of cops and $5.2 million bail – live updates|work=The Independent|date=September 19, 2016|accessdate=September 19, 2016|first1=Adam|last1=Withnall|first2=Samuel|last2=Osborne|first3=Rachel|last3=Revesz|first4=Justin|last4=Carissimo}}</ref> |
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On September 20, |
On September 20, Rahimi was charged in the [[United States District Court for the Southern District of New York|U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York]] in Manhattan, by [[criminal complaint]], with four [[federal crime]]s including [[Weapon of mass destruction#Criminal (civilian)|use of weapons of mass destruction]] (count one); bombing a place of public use (count two); destruction of property by means of fire or explosives (count three); and use of a [[destructive device]] during and in furtherance of a crime of violence (count four).<ref name=SDNYComplaint>{{cite web|url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/file/894486/download |title=Criminal Complaint |work=United States v. Ahmad Khan Rahami|publisher=[[United States District Court for the Southern District of New York]] |date=September 20, 2016 |accessdate=September 20, 2016}}</ref> On the same day, the [[United States District Court for the District of New Jersey|U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey]] in [[Newark, New Jersey|Newark]] charged him with use of a weapon of mass destruction (counts one and two), bombings of a place of public use and public transportation system (count three), and attempted destruction of property by means of fire or explosive (count four).<ref name=DNJComplaint>{{cite web|url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/file/894476/download |title=Criminal Complaint |work=United States v. Ahmad Khan Rahami |publisher=[[United States District Court for the District of New Jersey]] |date=September 20, 2016 |accessdate=September 20, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Federal charges filed against Chelsea, NJ bombing suspect Ahmad Khan Rahami|url=http://pix11.com/2016/09/20/federal-charges-filed-against-chelsea-nj-bombing-suspect-ahmad-khan-rahami/|accessdate=September 20, 2016|agency=PIX11|date=September 20, 2016|first1=Alyssa|last1=Zauderer|first2=Narmeen|last2=Choudhury}}</ref> |
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On September 26, |
On September 26, Rahimi's father and wife both retained the [[American Civil Liberties Union]] (ACLU) to defend him on the federal charges. The ACLU will represent Rahimi until he is given a [[federal public defender]] or other lawyer.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/27/nyregion/ahmad-khan-rahamis-father-and-wife-hire-aclu-to-defend-him.html|title=Ahmad Khan Rahami's Father and Wife Retain A.C.L.U. to Defend Him|work=The New York Times|date=September 27, 2016|accessdate=September 28, 2016|first1=Benjamin|last1=Weiser|first2=Eli|last2=Rosenberg}}</ref> |
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On October 13, |
On October 13, Rahimi appeared, by teleconference, in New Jersey State Court to plead innocent to all charges against him. Through his court-appointed attorney, Peter Liguori, he indicated that his official surname is Rahimi. Liguori stood by Rahimi's hospital bed throughout the hearing.<ref name=RahimiInitialPleaNJ_CNN>{{cite news|last1=Sanchez|first1=Ray|title=Bombing suspect Ahmad Khan Rahimi pleads not guilty|url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/13/us/ahmad-khan-rahami-pleads-not-guilty/index.html|accessdate=October 13, 2016|agency=CNN|date=October 13, 2016}}</ref><ref name=RahimiInitialPleaNJ_Reuters>{{cite news|last1=Ax|first1=Joseph|title=Accused New York bomber pleads not guilty from hospital bed|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-attacks-plea-idUSKCN12D2OU|accessdate=October 13, 2016|agency=Reuters|date=October 13, 2016}}</ref> |
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==Response== |
==Response== |
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[[Hamdullah Mohib]], Afghanistan's ambassador to the U.S., released a statement saying the Afghan government condemned the bombings and promising the country's cooperation with the investigation.<ref name=WashPost.Arrested/> |
[[Hamdullah Mohib]], Afghanistan's ambassador to the U.S., released a statement saying the Afghan government condemned the bombings and promising the country's cooperation with the investigation.<ref name=WashPost.Arrested/> |
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In a statement, the [[Council on American-Islamic Relations]] welcomed the arrest of |
In a statement, the [[Council on American-Islamic Relations]] welcomed the arrest of Rahimi, saying, "American Muslims, like all Americans, reject extremism and violence, and seek a safe and secure nation. Our nation is most secure when we remain united and reject the fear-mongering and guilt by association often utilized following such attacks."<ref name=WashPost.Arrested/> |
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Security was boosted across New York City's five [[Borough (New York City)|boroughs]] as a precaution.<ref name="CNN"/> Cuomo said that, while there was no ongoing threat, he would deploy 1,000 additional [[New York National Guard|National Guard]] troopers and [[New York State Police|State Police]] officers to major commuter hubs during the [[General Debate of the seventy-first session of the United Nations General Assembly|United Nations General Assembly]] meeting which began when the bombings were unfolding.<ref name="SantoraNYT"/><ref name="CapturedCNN" /> |
Security was boosted across New York City's five [[Borough (New York City)|boroughs]] as a precaution.<ref name="CNN"/> Cuomo said that, while there was no ongoing threat, he would deploy 1,000 additional [[New York National Guard|National Guard]] troopers and [[New York State Police|State Police]] officers to major commuter hubs during the [[General Debate of the seventy-first session of the United Nations General Assembly|United Nations General Assembly]] meeting which began when the bombings were unfolding.<ref name="SantoraNYT"/><ref name="CapturedCNN" /> |
Revision as of 03:51, 14 October 2016
2016 New York and New Jersey bombings | |
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Locations of the bombings Locations of the bombings Locations of the bombings Locations of the bombings | |
Location | Seaside Park, New Jersey, U.S. Chelsea, Manhattan, New York, U.S. Elizabeth, New Jersey, U.S. Linden, New Jersey, U.S. |
Coordinates | 39°55′32″N 74°04′29″W / 39.925602°N 74.074726°W (Seaside Park) 40°44′37″N 73°59′40″W / 40.743631°N 73.994308°W (Manhattan) 40°40′04″N 74°12′54″W / 40.667778°N 74.215°W (Elizabeth) |
Date | Seaside Park bombing: September 17, 2016, 9:30 a.m. Manhattan bombing: September 17, 2016, 8:31 p.m. Elizabeth bombs discovered: September 19, 2016, c. 12:40 a.m. Linden shootout: September 19, 2016, 11:23 a.m. (All times are UTC-04:00) |
Attack type | Bombing, shootout |
Weapons | Pressure cooker bombs, pipe bombs, 9mm Glock pistol |
Deaths | 0 |
Injured | 35 total:
|
On September 17–19, 2016, there were four bombings or bombing attempts in the New York metropolitan area, specifically in Seaside Park, New Jersey; Manhattan, New York; and Elizabeth, New Jersey. This was followed by a related shootout in Linden, New Jersey.
On September 17, at about 9:30 a.m., a pipe bomb exploded in a trash can along the route of a United States Marine Corps charity run in Seaside Park. No one was injured. Later that day, at about 8:30 p.m., a homemade pressure cooker bomb exploded on West 23rd Street in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. Thirty-one civilians were injured, 24 of whom were taken to the hospital. A second pressure cooker bomb, with wires and a mobile phone attached, was discovered by authorities on West 27th Street, four blocks away. Late on September 18, multiple bombs were discovered inside a suspicious package at the Elizabeth train station. One of those bombs detonated early the next day during the police investigation, and no injuries were reported.
On September 19, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) identified Ahmad Khan Rahimi as a suspect in all of the incidents. He was captured hours later after a shootout in Linden, New Jersey. The shootout left Rahimi and three police officers injured. Rahimi was hospitalized and charged with crimes in both New Jersey state court (including attempted murder of two law enforcement officers) and federal court (including bombing and use of a destructive device).
According to authorities, Rahimi was not part of a terrorist cell, but was motivated and inspired by the extremist Islamic ideology espoused by al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda chief propagandist Anwar al-Awlaki.
Seaside Park bombing
In the morning of September 17, 2016, in Ocean County, New Jersey, the Seaside Semper Five, a 5k run event, was expected to draw as many as 3,000 people, with many of them being veterans of the United States Armed Forces. The race was delayed after a suspicious backpack was noticed in the vicinity of the starting point.[1][2]
At about 9:30 a.m., shortly before the race was supposed to start, a pipe bomb exploded in a trash can on Ocean Avenue in Seaside Park.[1][2] Three "rudimentary" pipe bombs, all reportedly timed to go off during the race, were later found, with only one of the three having exploded. No one was hurt by this bombing, however.[3]
The race was canceled after the explosion,[3] and the beach and boardwalk in Seaside Park were evacuated. Police officials and federal agents soon went door-to-door, asking residents about information regarding the bombs or any suspicious activity they may have seen, heard, or witnessed.[4][5]
Manhattan bombing
On the same day as the Seaside Park bombing, a pressure cooker bomb filled with shrapnel, in the form of small bearings or metal BBs,[6] exploded in a crowded area on West 23rd Street, between Sixth Avenue and Seventh Avenue at 8:31 p.m.[1][6][7] The explosion occurred in front of 133 West 23rd Street[8] in the vicinity of a construction site,[9] at which materials were in place for exterior renovations of the Visions at Selis Manor facility, an apartment building for the blind, at 135 West 23rd Street.[10][11] Other nearby buildings included the Townhouse Inn of Chelsea,[11] many restaurants, and a Trader Joe's at 21st Street and 6th Avenue.[10] The Chelsea neighborhood is residential, known for its nightlife, and is not close to any significant tourist sites or government buildings.[12]
Witnesses said that the explosion "seemed to have started inside a sidewalk dumpster" in the vicinity of Sixth Avenue, and photographs of a "twisted dumpster" in the middle of West 23rd Street went viral on Twitter.[1] A law enforcement official speaking on condition of anonymity stated that the explosion "appeared to have come from a construction toolbox" in front of a building, and photographs of the area reportedly showed a twisted, crumpled black metal box.[10]
Effects
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/Police_after_2016_Manhattan_explosion.jpg/220px-Police_after_2016_Manhattan_explosion.jpg)
The explosion "was powerful enough to vault a heavy steel Dumpster more than 120 feet through the air ... Windows shattered 400 feet from where the explosion went off, and pieces of the bomb were recovered 650 feet away."[13] The explosion caused damage to a nearby five-story brownstone,[1] and debris was strewn in front of the St. Vincent de Paul Church.[14] The moment of the blast was captured on closed-circuit television footage from three cameras.[15]
Thirty-one civilians were injured,[13] 24 of whom were taken to four local hospitals.[14][16] Most injuries were scrapes and bruises caused by flying debris and glass.[10][15] None of the injuries were life-threatening, but one victim sustained a puncture wound and was seriously hurt.[1] Nine of the injured were taken to Bellevue Hospital,[17] including the seriously injured civilian.[14] Lenox Health Greenwich Village treated another nine victims.[9] By the following morning, all of the injured had been released.[6][8]
The explosion disrupted travel in Manhattan extensively. A significant zone (14th Street to 34th Street between Fifth Avenue and Eighth Avenue) was closed to car travel overnight. By 7:00 a.m. the following morning, "all of the streets and avenues had been reopened, except for West 23rd Street, which remained closed between Fifth and Eighth Avenues." New York City Subway service to stations along West 23rd Street was disrupted while the investigation was ongoing.[18]
Discovery of second device
Following the explosion, officers began a block-by-block search for additional unexploded bombs.[19] Several hours later, police received a 9-1-1 call from a resident of West 27th Street who had seen a suspicious-looking package near her home. The device was under a mailbox at West 27th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues, four blocks away from the site of the original blast.[20] When authorities came to look, two state troopers discovered the pressure cooker bomb concealed in a plastic bag and connected with dark wiring to a mobile phone.[6][19] The bomb was filled with small bearings or metal BBs.[6] The pressure cooker bomb was described as similar to those used in the Boston Marathon bombing.[1][14][16][21][22] The New York City Police Department (NYPD) reported its find of a "possible secondary device" at 11:00 p.m.[1]
The bomb was removed by an NYPD bomb squad robot.[1][10] The robot placed the bomb in a containment chamber, and the device was driven away at around 2:25 a.m. on September 18.[19] Investigators obtained fingerprints and the mobile phone from the device.[23][24] The bomb was driven to the NYPD's Rodman's Neck firing range in the Bronx, where it was rendered safe[8] via a controlled explosion.[23] The devices were to be sent to the FBI Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, for further inspection.[8][9]
Discovery of bombs in Elizabeth
At around 8:00 p.m. on September 18, two men took a backpack atop a municipal garbage can at the Elizabeth train station in Elizabeth, New Jersey.[24][25][26][27][28] One of the men, Lee Parker, was homeless and was looking for a backpack so he could go to a job search. His friend Ivan White had found the backpack above the garbage can.[29][30] They were about 300 feet (91 m) from a busy pub's front entrance[25] and about 500 feet (150 m) from a train trestle when they took the backpack.[23] White and Parker looked into the backpack, discovered that the item contained wires and a pipe, and called 9-1-1 at around 8:45 p.m.[26][29][30] The men, who were not held as suspects,[24][26] were hailed as heroes in Elizabeth;[29][30] a GoFundMe campaign in their name raised over $16,000 in donations.[31]
The Elizabeth Police Department was the first authority to respond to the men's 9-1-1 call.[29][30] The investigation was soon turned over to the New Jersey State Police and the FBI, which sent in two robots that confirmed the devices were pipe bombs. One of these bombs was accidentally detonated at around 12:40 a.m. as the robots sought to disarm the devices. One robot was "destroyed" by the blast, while the other robot's mechanical arm was broken.[26][28] Authorities were working to disable the other devices.[26][32] Following the bomb's accidental explosion, the station was evacuated. The surrounding area was put on lockdown, and service was suspended between the Newark Airport and Elizabeth stations for the day. New Jersey-bound trains from New York were held at Penn Station.[27][33]
Elizabeth Mayor J. Christian Bollwage said that it was unclear whether the train station was a specific target, or whether the bombs were dumped by someone looking to quickly get rid of them.[26] The Elizabeth device was "similar in appearance" to the Seaside Park device.[25] Police later theorized that the bomber, Ahmad Khan Rahimi, had thrown away the bombs in Elizabeth in an effort to hide the evidence because these bombs lacked detonators.[24]
Investigation
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e4/23rd_Street_Manhattan_bombing_investigation_3.jpg/220px-23rd_Street_Manhattan_bombing_investigation_3.jpg)
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), Homeland Security, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) responded to the scene of the Chelsea bombing and were involved in the investigation, in addition to the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) and the NYPD. Initially, the Seaside Park and Manhattan bombings were investigated as separate incidents, but over a period of two days, the investigation yielded similarities between the two incidents, leading the investigators to determine that they were connected, and therefore that it was to be investigated as one overall composite terrorist act or endeavor, committed by the same person or party.[1][17][34]
Within hours after the attack, officials determined that the explosion was intentional, and ruled out the possibility of a natural gas explosion.[1][35] Investigators did not immediately find evidence of a terrorism link,[1][16] initially leaving open the possibility of arson or vandalism at the time.[36] A link to terrorism was discovered in the following days.[37][38]
Both of the Manhattan bombs—the one that exploded and the second that was disabled—were of the same design, using pressure cookers filled with bearings or metal BBs that were rigged with flip phones and Christmas lights that set off a small charge of hexamethylene triperoxide diamine (HMTD), which served as a detonator for a larger charge of a secondary explosive similar to Tannerite.[37][39]
The FBI examined fingerprints from the undetonated West 27th Street pressure cooker bomb and its attached mobile phone.[23] DNA evidence was also recovered.[38] On September 19, the FBI traced the prints, as well as some pictures on the mobile phone, to Ahmad Khan Rahimi (see below).[24][37]
Though the explosives in all four incidents were of three different designs, the Department of Homeland Security found that the bomb-maker followed guidelines featured in Inspire, an online magazine published by al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.[40] Investigators also said they believed the bomb-maker had cased the Chelsea neighborhood before the bombing there, and that he may have had an accomplice as he would have had to otherwise cover a lot of ground between the bombing sites in a relatively short amount of time. They were talking to witnesses who claimed to have seen Rahimi in the Chelsea area before the explosion.[41][42] Several bomb ingredients were purchased by Rahimi on eBay between June 20 and August 10.[43]
On September 30, two weeks after Rahimi's arrest (see below), the FBI raided his home a second time for "additional evidence".[44][45]
Search for suspects
Investigators discovered surveillance video that showed a suspect planting a bomb, later identified as Rahimi, on West 23rd Street in Manhattan, then walking to West 27th Street dragging a duffel bag. The subject left the bag at West 27th Street. Later, two individuals took the pressure cooker bomb out of the bag and left the scene.[22][46] Authorities determined that the two men who had taken the bomb out of the bag were, most likely, scavengers who had only wanted the duffel bag and did not know what they had been handling; in the process, they might have deactivated the bomb in the bag. The NYPD and FBI wished to talk with these men, who were considered possible witnesses but were not suspected in helping plant the bomb.[24][47] Investigators later believed the men were possible Egyptian tourists who have since returned to their home country.[48][49] U.S. investigators notified Egyptian authorities that they wanted to question the men.[49]
Late on September 18, the day after the Manhattan explosion, the FBI announced that five men, who were later found to be relatives of Rahimi, had been detained in connection with the investigation. The men were detained at about 8:45 p.m. at a traffic stop, which was being conducted by the FBI and NYPD on the Belt Parkway near the Verrazano–Narrows Bridge.[25][37][50][51][52]
Motive
An official speaking to The New York Times on condition of anonymity said, "We don't understand the target or the significance of it. It's by a pile of dumpsters on a random sidewalk."[1] At a news conference the day following the Manhattan explosion, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said that placing a bomb in a crowded city street was intrinsically a terrorist act, but that "there is no evidence of an international terrorism connection with this incident," while noting that the investigation was still in its early stages.[46] An explosives expert, speaking anonymously, said the materials used in the bomb indicated that the bomb-builder had some knowledge of how to assemble the explosive device.[6]
A note found on the pressure cooker bomb left on West 27th Street referred to Anwar al-Awlaki (the Muslim cleric who became a senior member of al-Qaeda and was then killed by a U.S. drone strike), the Boston Marathon bombing, and the 2009 Fort Hood shooting.[53][54][38]
On September 20, investigators said that when Rahimi was arrested, he had a notebook in his possession in which he had written about Anwar al-Awlaki, the Boston Marathon bombers Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, and Abu Mohammad al-Adnani, the spokesperson and a senior leader of ISIL.[13][38][42] The notebook had bullet holes and blood stains. In the notebook, Rahimi wrote of "killing the kuffar," an Arabic term for unbelievers.[13]
According to authorities, Rahimi was not part of a terrorist cell, but was motivated and inspired by the extremist Islamic ideology espoused by al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda chief propagandist Anwar al-Awlaki.[13] The criminal complaint filed against Rahimi states that Rahimi had a YouTube account in which he listed two jihadist propaganda videos as "favorites" alongside other, unrelated materials.[55]
Suspect
Ahmad Khan Rahimi | |
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احمد خان رحامی[citation needed] | |
![]() Surveillance image of Ahmad Khan Rahimi, who was arrested following a manhunt | |
Born | |
Citizenship | American |
Education | Edison High School |
Employer | First American Fried Chicken |
Height | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)[38] |
Criminal charges |
|
Criminal status | In-custody |
Children | 1[62] |
Background
Ahmad Khan Rahimi (born January 23, 1988) — an Afghan American[24][37] whose surname was reported as Rahami, initially[63][64] — came to the United States from Afghanistan in 2000,[65] and was naturalized in 2011. His father, Mohammad Rahimi, came to the U.S. several years earlier seeking asylum.[62] According to a neighbor, Rahimi's father, a Pashtun,[66] had been part of the anti-Soviet mujahideen movement in Afghanistan, and was critical of the Taliban.[67] The younger Rahimi may have as many as seven siblings.[37][65] Before settling into the U.S., the Rahimi family fled from the then war-torn Afghanistan to Pakistan. In the U.S., they lived in a number of New Jersey towns before settling in Elizabeth.[56]
Rahimi graduated from Edison High School in 2008.[68] From 2010 to 2012, he attended Middlesex County College in Edison, New Jersey, majoring in criminal justice with alleged aspirations of a future in law enforcement. He dropped out.[62][68][69]
Rahimi's friends described him as a generous person who was never devoutly religious and would invite his friends to eat and conduct rap battles at his family's fried chicken restaurant—First American Fried Chicken in Elizabeth, 15 miles (24 km) from New York City. To some, he was known as Mad, short for Ahmad. A classmate from Edison High described him as quiet, mild-mannered, well-dressed, and "not abrasive, [but] funny" whenever he spoke.[70] In recent years, though, he seemed to be a "completely different person" who was more stern than before and less easygoing.[56][67][70] Also, in elementary school, Rahimi's teacher complained to his father for "act[ing] like a king in class", and Rahimi had broken a friend's nose while in junior high.[66]
While at Edison High, he started a relationship with a classmate from the Dominican Republic, which culminated in them having a daughter together in 2007, during Rahimi's senior year. According to people close to the Rahimis, this upset Mohammad Rahimi, who refused to meet his granddaughter or the mother, and had been disapproving of the relationship due to expectations that his son would marry a cousin in Afghanistan. In March 2008, after returning from his first trip in Pakistan, he moved in with his girlfriend's family and got a job at a Kmart store. Rahimi's girlfriend later ended the relationship and sued him for child support. This reportedly depressed Rahimi, who subsequently returned to his family, and damaged his relationship with his father.[66][71]
The Rahimi family had a history of disputes with the City of Elizabeth over their restaurant's operating hours, claiming that the city was discriminating against them because of their ethnicity and because they were Muslim.[37][62][72] They filed a lawsuit against the city in 2011, in which they alleged harassment and religious discrimination by police and officials who would force them to close early. Mayor J. Christian Bollwage said the longstanding issues were caused by a series of complaints from neighbors, who reported noise and large crowds gathering at the restaurant late at night. The city later barred all takeout restaurants, including the Rahimis', from operating past 10:00 p.m. In 2009, two of Rahimi's brothers were arrested for attempting to record a conversation with police, according to court papers.[66][73][74][75] Rahimi lived above the restaurant with his family.[67]
In July 2016, Rahimi passed the required background check and legally purchased the Glock 9 mm handgun he used in the shootout, from a licensed dealer in Salem, Virginia.[76]
Legal troubles
At one time, Rahimi was licensed to carry firearms. In August 2014, he, at that time living in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, was charged with aggravated assault and unlawful possession of a weapon in Union County. The charges arose from allegations that Rahimi had stabbed his brother in the leg, after the victim and another brother attempted to stop Rahimi from assaulting their mother and sister "for no apparent reason". Rahimi was reported by two of his siblings the next day and spent three months in the Union County Jail, but was reported to have bailed. A grand jury declined to make an indictment, and the charges were dropped on September 22.[67][68][77]
A "high-ranking law enforcement official with knowledge of the investigation" said Rahimi had spent two additional days in jail, one in February 2012 for allegedly violating a restraining order, and another in October 2008 for failure to pay traffic tickets.[67]
Rahimi's father Mohammad had tried to contact the FBI about his son around August 2014, but two months later, Rahimi was cleared by the FBI. One reason cited was that Mohammad had stated that he was merely angry over the August domestic incident when he reported his son, so he had denied his previous statement.[13][77] In an interview with The New York Times, Mohammad claimed that he had seen his son watching videos made by al-Qaeda and the Taliban and asked him to stop. However, the FBI later said Mohammad never informed them of what he had seen.[41][66]
On September 20 — the day after his arrest — Rahimi's estranged ex-girlfriend, and the mother of his daughter, filed a petition in a New Jersey state court seeking full custody of the child, citing Rahimi as being a possible participant in "terrorist related activity" in New York City. She also filed to change her child's name, as well as to force the media not to contact her or her daughter. The petition for custody was granted the following day, though the request to change the daughter's name was denied, as was the request for media not to contact her, because "the court said it had no authority to grant the requests." Rahimi and the mother of his child had engaged in a long-running battle, as Rahimi owed her more than $3,000 in child support in 2015; she had previously gotten a restraining order against Rahimi.[78][79]
Overseas travels and return to U.S.
Rahimi, reportedly, went back to Afghanistan several times (including for an extended period starting in 2012), and "showed signs of radicalization" afterwards.[23][37][67] The trips were reportedly arranged by Rahimi's pious father, who was concerned about his son being "too Americanized".[71] Rahimi and members of his family also made several trips to Pakistan, where they had Afghan relatives living as refugees.[68][80] According to a family friend, Rahimi claimed that his father took away his passport while he was sleeping and left him alone in a foreign country.[69][71]
Rahimi and a brother spent several weeks in the cities of Quetta and nearby Kuchlak,[69][81] as well as Kandahar, Afghanistan. At Quetta, which is home to a large population of Afghan immigrants and some Taliban members-in-exile,[82] he was in an arranged marriage with a Pakistani woman[42][62] believed to be his cousin[69][71] in July 2011,[81] and had a son with her in 2014.[66][71] He also went under the wing of a local radical cleric, according to a close relative in Afghanistan.[66] Following Rahimi's arrest, a spokesman for the Afghan Taliban said the group had no connection with him.[56]
In Kuchlak, Rahimi attended an Afghan-run naqshbandi religious seminary closely associated with the Taliban movement, where he took lectures in Islamic education for three weeks. Rahimi remained in Pakistan from April 2013 to March 2014, and traveled to Afghanistan during the period.[81] Following his near-year-long stay in the region, he underwent additional screening. On both occasions, he stated that he visited family members and was cleared by immigration and customs officials.[38][62] The FBI did not find any signs of ties to terrorism during background checks.[38]
According to a childhood friend, Rahimi grew a beard, started wearing more religious clothing following his trips to Afghanistan, and began praying in the back of his family's restaurant.[70][74] When the mobile phone from West 27th Street was examined, investigators found that Rahimi had posted jihadist writings on various websites,[24] but it was "not known whether he had any links to an overseas terror organization, or whether he had been inspired by such organizations and their propaganda efforts, as others have been."[37] One intelligence source said Rahimi may have been self-radicalized.[38]
In June 2016, Rahimi's wife left the United States,[83][84] planning to return September 21.[85] On September 19, following her husband's arrest, she was stopped by the United Arab Emirates authorities. Two days later, she returned to New York and was questioned by the investigators.[83] The wife was cooperative and not accused of wrongdoing.[86]
Manhunt, shootout, and arrest
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8a/SEEKING_INFORMATION_Ahmad_Khan_Rahami.jpg/200px-SEEKING_INFORMATION_Ahmad_Khan_Rahami.jpg)
After stopping the five men on the Verrazano–Narrows Bridge, FBI agents and Elizabeth police searched Rahimi's home in the early morning of September 18.[37][62] The FBI asked for public assistance in detaining Rahimi for questioning in connection with the bombings in Manhattan and Seaside Park, as well as the attempted overnight bombing in Elizabeth.[37]
At 7:39 a.m. on September 19, the NYPD posted a "Wanted" poster of Rahimi on Twitter.[87] Seventeen minutes later, the Wireless Emergency Alert system was used to send an alert message to the mobile phones of millions of people in New York City, marking the first time New York City used the emergency alert to search for a named suspect.[87][88] The alert message read, "WANTED: Ahmad Khan Rahami, 28-yr-old male. See media for pic. Call 9-1-1 if seen."[88] Mayor de Blasio said, "Anyone who sees this individual or knows anything about him or his whereabouts needs to call it in right away."[80][87][89]
Authorities said that Rahimi might be armed and dangerous.[37][80][87][89] Law enforcement put him on some terror watchlists to prevent him from leaving the United States.[23]
Concurrently, authorities started searching Rahimi's home in Elizabeth. The New Jersey State Police released two tweets, one at 9:30 a.m. and the other at 10:56 a.m., both stating that Rahimi was wanted in connection with the Seaside Park and Elizabeth bombs.[87] At around 10:30 a.m., a Linden bar owner was in a deli across the street from his bar, watching CNN, when he saw a man sleeping in the bar's doorway. He recognized the man as Rahimi from news reports and called 9-1-1, saying "the guy looks a little suspicious and doesn't look good to me."[23][90] When Linden police arrived fifteen minutes later and awoke the man, the officers—who were subsequently identified as Angel Padilla, Peter Hammer, and Mark Kahana[91]—realized that the man was Rahimi.[37][59]
Officer Padilla ordered Rahimi to show his hands.[91] Rahimi disregarded the order,[91] retrieved a Glock 9 mm handgun,[76] and shot Padilla in the abdomen, striking the bulletproof vest.[91] Padilla returned fire and Rahimi fled, with police pursuing him.[37] Rahimi fired back indiscriminately.[57] He encountered Officer Hammer seated in his vehicle and fired into the windshield;[13] Hammer was grazed in the head and struck by flying glass, then he was shot in his hand. In addition, Officer Kahana experienced high blood pressure stemming from the incident.[91] None of the officers' injuries or conditions were serious.[23][57][80] During the shootout, Rahimi was shot at least seven times, hit in an artery,[92] and sustained a shoulder wound.[23][37][57] He was finally arrested, shortly before noon, and transported to University Hospital by ambulance.[23][37][52][57] He underwent surgery and was in critical but stable condition.[59][93] Officer Padilla was released from the hospital that night, and Officer Hammer was released the next day.[94]
Following Rahimi's arrest, investigators said there was "no indication" he was part of a broader terror cell,[59] nor that such a cell was "operating in the area."[75] Rahimi was said to be initially uncooperative during interrogations.[23]
State and federal prosecutions
On the night of September 19, Rahimi was charged in New Jersey Superior Court with five counts of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer in relation to the shootout in Linden. He was also charged with second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon and second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, both in relation to the handgun found in his possession.[38][57][75][95]
Under New Jersey state law, all criminal defendants are eligible for bail, until the law is modified in 2017.[96] Rahimi's bail was set at $5.2 million.[58]
On September 20, Rahimi was charged in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in Manhattan, by criminal complaint, with four federal crimes including use of weapons of mass destruction (count one); bombing a place of public use (count two); destruction of property by means of fire or explosives (count three); and use of a destructive device during and in furtherance of a crime of violence (count four).[60] On the same day, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey in Newark charged him with use of a weapon of mass destruction (counts one and two), bombings of a place of public use and public transportation system (count three), and attempted destruction of property by means of fire or explosive (count four).[61][97]
On September 26, Rahimi's father and wife both retained the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) to defend him on the federal charges. The ACLU will represent Rahimi until he is given a federal public defender or other lawyer.[98]
On October 13, Rahimi appeared, by teleconference, in New Jersey State Court to plead innocent to all charges against him. Through his court-appointed attorney, Peter Liguori, he indicated that his official surname is Rahimi. Liguori stood by Rahimi's hospital bed throughout the hearing.[63][64]
Response
Governor Cuomo released a statement following the Manhattan bombing, saying, "We are closely monitoring the situation and urge New Yorkers to, as always, remain calm and vigilant."[1] The day following the bombing, Cuomo and de Blasio toured the damage together.[6]
Hamdullah Mohib, Afghanistan's ambassador to the U.S., released a statement saying the Afghan government condemned the bombings and promising the country's cooperation with the investigation.[75]
In a statement, the Council on American-Islamic Relations welcomed the arrest of Rahimi, saying, "American Muslims, like all Americans, reject extremism and violence, and seek a safe and secure nation. Our nation is most secure when we remain united and reject the fear-mongering and guilt by association often utilized following such attacks."[75]
Security was boosted across New York City's five boroughs as a precaution.[16] Cuomo said that, while there was no ongoing threat, he would deploy 1,000 additional National Guard troopers and State Police officers to major commuter hubs during the United Nations General Assembly meeting which began when the bombings were unfolding.[6][23]
In the two days following the Manhattan bombing, the NYPD received 406 phone calls reporting suspicious packages in the city. None were found to contain bombs.[99]
See also
References
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External links
Media related to 2016 Manhattan explosion at Wikimedia Commons
- 2016 crimes in the United States
- 2016 in New Jersey
- 2016 in New York City
- 21st century in Manhattan
- Attacks in the United States in 2016
- Chelsea, Manhattan
- Crimes in New Jersey
- Crimes in New York City
- Elizabeth, New Jersey
- Improvised explosive device bombings in the United States
- Linden, New Jersey
- Seaside Park, New Jersey
- September 2016 crimes
- September 2016 events in the United States
- Terrorist incidents in New Jersey
- Terrorist incidents in New York City
- Terrorist incidents in the United States in 2016